There’s something pleasingly rough-and-ready about The Hatchet Inn, which is undoubtedly Bristol’s most well regarded alternative pub. This starts with the building itself. Reputedly haunted, it was first erected in 1600 but has gone through numerous changes since. Even so, many of the original features remain – including, crucially, the Tudor frontage – and the further works have, if anything, increased its’ wonky, off-kilter charms.
On your first visit, the inside will feel lopsided and poorly planned out, with a maze of small rooms, low ceilings and vintage wooden beams. There’s a similarly eccentric beer garden outside, which in centuries gone by was used to host bear-bating and bare knuckle fighting.
Thankfully, neither of those pastimes are on offer these days, but this darker aspect of the pub’s history only adds to its unique character. There’s a similarly no-nonsense, down-to-earth feel about many other aspects of The Hatchet, from its simple drinks range, through to the music on the jukebox and quirky clientele (a mix of indie kids, metal fans, ageing alternative rockers and thirty and fortysomethings that really should know better).
The pub’s dedication to music is obvious. The upstairs room – filled with pool tables during the day – regularly hosts live bands and quirky, rock-centric club nights, while the location makes it a popular spot for those heading to gigs at the nearby O2 Academy and Colston Hall. Even if heavy metal, goth and alternative rock isn’t your thing, The Hatchet’s staff and eccentric regulars will still make you feel at home.